North Queensland state: KAP wants talks at forefront of potential LNP election deal

Katter’s Australian Party says a new North Queensland state will be at the forefront of any discussions if it holds the balance of power after next month’s elections.

KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto says a separate North Queensland state will be a key demand in any power-sharing deal if his party holds the balance of power after next month’s election.

Katter’s Australian Party has revealed that a new North Queensland state will be at the forefront of any discussions if it holds the balance of power after the elections next month.

KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto said the party was contesting 10 targeted seats in North Queensland “that we actually want to win”.

He said he believed it would be close between Labor and LNP in southeast Queensland and it will “be a case of who wins the north runs the state”.

“If there is a whitewash in the north, the state will be run wholly and solely by the LNP but if you want to give regional Queensland a strong voice, that’s why we are here, we are here to take the north – we’d love the balance of power, that’s why we’re targeting those ten seats.”

The popular two-term Hinchinbrook MP said the first thing it would demand before entering a ruling coalition would be a “proper conversation around a separate state for North Queensland”.

“Whether that goes to a referendum at some stage or we put it to parliament to try and see if we can create a mandate, at least try to get the costings around whether or not we can actually have a separate state, whether it’s viable,” he said.

“The experts we keep talking to and the economists keep saying … we have a million people in North Queensland now, we are viable.”

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto, deputy leader of Katter’s Australian Party (KAP), in his electorate office in Ingham. Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Dametto rejected criticisms that any separate state would involve a duplication of politicians and bureaucrats.

“My argument to that is we don’t need any more, utilise the ones we have, utilise the seats that we already have and utilise the bureaucrats that we already have.”

He said the “number one topic” in Queensland, particular in places such as Cairns, Mount Isa and Townsville, was youth crime, and high on KAPS agenda would be its relocation sentencing policy for youth offenders, its proposed castle law that would allow citizens the rights to defend their homes and “mandatory minimum sentencing for prescribed crimes”.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles, Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto and residents of the beleaguered Port Hinchinbrook development project in August. Mr Dametto says he has secured around $20 million toward normalisation of the vital Cardwell development. Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Dametto said a third precondition would be nation-building infrastructure, including dams, rail lines and upgrades to the substandard Bruce Highway as an increase to the pace of the Northern Townsville Road Intersections Project.

“We want to see a government with foresight and a government that’s planning for four-year terms, planning for generations.”

He said his fourth and fifth preconditions would focus on his Hinchinbrook electorate, namely the resurrection of the proposed North Queensland Bio-Energy (NQBE) plant or a similar project “to produce more than just sugar from our sugar cane”.

“Five, we want to make sure that the number one thing for people living in the Hinchinbrook electorate is being looked after, and that is marine infrastructure.”

Bob Katter, the federal member for Kennedy, and Katter’s Australian Party’ Queensland state MPs Shane Knuth, Robbie Katter and Nick Dametto, with Former One Nation-turned Independent member for Mirani Stephen Andrew who has joined KAP ahead of next month’s elections. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Mr Dametto and the Hinchinbrook Shire Council have been fighting an ongoing battle with the state government to allow all-tidal access from the Enterprise Channel at Lucinda to Hinchinbrook Island, the outer islands and the Great Barrier Reef.

Although dredging has been approved the state government is still dragging its heels over building a protective rock wall to prevent re-silting of the channel.

The development is considered a game-changer for tourism in Hinchinbrook and North Queensland.

“We are also talking about finally realising the Port Hinchinbrook normalisation process and continuing the work of Economic Development Queensland.”

Mr Dametto rejected suggestions from the LNP’s candidate for Hinchinbrook, Annette Swaine, that he had not been able to deliver for his electorate during his two terms.

He said his wins included:

• Port Hinchinbrook normalisation ($20m)

• Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade (Black River)

• Burdell Ambulance Station

• Cardwell Sewerage Treatment Plant (current)

• Townsville Paediatric Cardiologist (not limited to Hinchinbrook)

• Ingham Hospital CT scanner (current)

• Ingham Hospital Dialysis Unit

• Hervey Range Road upgrade project (current)

• About $400,000 secured for the Hinchinbrook Shire Council to complete Dungeness rock wall sand movement studies

• Farm Sheds – Alignment of the QBC and NCC to allow machinery sheds over 500m2 to be built without the need for extensive fire safety infrastructure

• Various overtaking lanes and lane widening projects between Townsville and Ingham

He said successful grant applications and budget allocations included:

• Forrest Beach Progress Association: $99,624

• Forrest Beach Surf Life Saving Club: $100,000

• Ingham Football Club: $100,000

• Ingham Squash Rackets Association: $89,550

• Townsville Karting Club: $98,660

• Herbert River Jockey Club: $100,000 (kitchen)

• Herbert River Jockey Club: $50,000 (tractor)

• North Thuringowa Rugby League Football Club: $157,907 (lights)

• Cardwell Golf Club: $112,062 (irrigation)

• Northern Beaches SUNS AFL Club: $188,000 (lights)

Mr Dametto at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: John Gass

Mr Dametto also fired back at Mrs Swaine who lived an hour north of Cardwell.

“The reality is that there is an LNP candidate who is very far removed from the problems of the Hinchinbrook electorate … it would be an extremely long drive for Ms Swaine to drive to the electorate office (in Ingham in the centre of the electorate) every day,” he said.

“It’s easy from Innisfail looking into the Hinchinbrook to say not much has been achieved here but I would suggest the candidate for the LNP doesn’t know the electorate.”

KAP have traditionally agreed a one-two preference vote with One Nation, followed by any independent or minor party and then a split-ticket for the major parties and “always Greens last”.

Mr Dametto said KAP was considering listing its preferences on it ‘How to Vote Card’ recommendations “against Labor in some seats” to send a message to the State Government that “they’ve made an absolute dog’s breakfast out of the youth justice system”.

Originally published as North Queensland state: KAP wants talks at forefront of potential LNP election deal